[0001] The present invention relates to improvements in cigarette packaging machines and
methods and more particularly to a mechanism and method for rejecting the defective
pack or packs of a stack of two cigarette packs in an intermittently advanced product
stream.
[0002] Conventional cigarette packaging equipment includes machinery for overwrapping cigarette
packages with an overwrap made of either a transparent or metallized polymeric film
and having a tear tape for tearing open the overwrap. One such machine is a Model
4350 Packager manufactured by G.D. Societa per Azioni of Bologna, Italy and known
as the "GD 4350" machine. In this machine, each cigarette package of twenty cigarettes
is individually overwrapped with the polymeric film, heat sealed and then placed in
stacks of two packs for delivery by an intermittent motion or indexing turret mechanism
to a cigarette cartoner apparatus in which five stacks of two packs (ten packs) are
inserted into a cigarette carton. During the overwrapping process, the GD 4350 machine
is designed to detect various defects in the cigarette packs, such as, for example,
crushed packages, missing or wrinkled overwraps, defective side and end flap seals,
missing or misplaced tear tapes and the like. Defective packs are rejected in the
GD 4350 machine after the packs have been arranged in the two pack stack configuration.
The known machine does not discriminate between an acceptable pack and a defective
pack in the two pack stack so that both packs are rejected even if only one pack is
defective. The result of this arrangement is that approximately 25% of all rejected
packs are acceptable.
[0003] U.S. Patent No. 5,101,609 discloses the prior art package rejection mechanism as
well as a recent improvement to the package inspection system of a GD 4350 machine
in which each two pack stack of cigarettes is removed from the product stream for
inspection by video cameras and is then returned to the product stream for conveyance
to the cartoner apparatus. Even in the improved inspection system, if only one defective
pack is detected in a two pack stack, both packs of the stack are rejected, again
resulting in about 25% of the rejected packs being acceptable packs.
[0004] Viewed from one aspect, the invention provides a cigarette packaging machine comprising
means for identifying a defective pack in a two pack stack having a top pack and a
bottom pack;
first rejection means for rejecting only said defective pack disposed as the top
pack of said two pack stack; and
second rejection means independent of said first rejection means for rejecting
only said defective pack disposed as the bottom pack of said two pack stack.
[0005] Viewed from another aspect, the invention provides a defective cigarette pack rejection
apparatus for a cigarette packaging machine having means for identifying a defective
pack of a two pack stack comprising a top pack and a bottom pack, said pack rejection
apparatus comprising first rejection means for ejecting only a defective top pack
of the two pack stack, and second rejection means independent of said first rejection
means for rejecting only a defective bottom pack of the two pack stack or both packs
of the two pack stack.
[0006] The defective cigarette pack rejection apparatus is particularly suited for use with
a cigarette packaging machine having a transfer wheel including means for retaining
a plurality of two pack stacks and means for rotatably indexing said transfer wheel
about an axis to a plurality of indexing positions.
[0007] Viewed from another aspect, the invention provides a method of rejecting a defective
pack from a cigarette packaging machine in which the packs are stacked into a plurality
of two pack stacks each with a top pack and a bottom pack, comprising the steps of:
identifying defective top and bottom packs of said two pack stacks;
conveying said two pack stacks past a first rejection station and a second rejection
station downstream of said first rejection station;
rejecting only defective top packs of said two pack stacks at said first rejection
station;
rejecting defective bottom packs of said two pack stacks at said second rejection
station; and
supplying make-up packs to said stacks downstream of said second rejection station
to replace the top and bottom packs rejected at said first and second rejection stations.
[0008] It is advantageous from an economic standpoint to provide a mechanism for the GD
4350 machine or any other comparable apparatus in which only the defective pack of
a stack of two packs is rejected and in which both packs are rejected only if both
are defective. In addition, it is preferable that such mechanism be operable to reject
packs from the two pack stack at the maximum production speed of the GD 4350 machine
which ranges from about 400 up to about 500 packs per minute (ppm).
[0009] The present invention in a preferred embodiment, takes the form of a modification
to a GD 4350 machine or its equivalent in which only the upper or top pack of a two
pack stack of cigarettes is rejected, if defective, at a first pack rejection station
on an intermittently rotated turret or transfer wheel of the machine and only the
lower or bottom pack of a two pack stack of cigarettes is rejected, if defective,
at a second pack rejection station on the turret. A magazine loaded with acceptable
packs may be arranged downstream of the second pack rejection station to supply a
pack to a stack in which one of the packs has been rejected. If both the upper and
lower packs are rejected at the first and second pack rejection stations, respectively,
a pair of acceptable packs are supplied from the magazine in place of the two rejected
packs.
[0010] A further or third rejection mechanism may be provided at the second pack rejection
station for rejecting both packs simultaneously at the second station. This further
mechanism is operable when the top pack of the two pack stack is defective, but fails
to be ejected from the stack at the first pack rejection station. This condition is
usually the result of a slight sticking together of the overwraps of the two packs.
This further rejection mechanism may also be programmed to operate in lieu of the
top and bottom pack rejection mechanisms at the first and second stations when both
packs of a given stack are determined to be defective.
[0011] In a particularly preferred embodiment, a defective top pack of the two pack stack
is ejected at the first pack rejection station by means of a short (about 60-150 milliseconds)
blast of air at a pressure of about 90 psi (620 kPa) supplied to one or more air nozzles
arranged radially inwardly of the first pack rejection station. A bottom defective
pack of the stack is ejected at the second pack rejection station by means of a first
pivotable arm that functions as a movable support plate for the intermittently advanced
two pack stacks of cigarettes until a defective bottom pack arrives at the second
station. When that occurs, the first pivotable arm swings rearwardly toward the turret
rotational axis to cause the two pack stack (or one pack stack if the top pack has
previously been ejected at the first station) to drop to a fixed (or movable) support
plate. The pivotable arm then swings forwardly to strike and eject the lower pack
from the fixed (or movable) support plate and provide a support surface for indexing
advancement of the top pack (if present). That top pack will become the bottom pack
of a two pack stack when it travels past the magazine containing acceptable packs.
[0012] Other embodiments involve variations in the ejection mechanisms at each pack rejection
station. With respect to the embodiment having the third or double pack ejection mechanism
at the second rejection station, a second pivotable arm carries a movable pack support
plate in lieu of the fixed support plate. The second pivotable arm is pivotable about
an axis at right angles to the pivot axis of the first pivotable arm. When both packs
of a stack are defective or when a defective top pack fails to be ejected at the first
pack rejection station for reasons explained above, the first pivotable arm is swung
rearwardly and the second pivotable arm is swung downwardly so that both packs of
the stack simultaneously fall downwardly from the second pack rejection station into
a chute or other means for collection in a receptacle.
[0013] In the preferred embodiment, rejection of the top and bottom packs of a two pack
stack advantageously takes place at two different locations on the intermittently
rotated or indexed turret of the GD 4350 machine so that the maximum production rate
of about 500 packs per minute can be maintained. At that production rate, the dwell
time of the packs at each position of turret indexing is about 160 milliseconds. It
has been found that if defective top and bottom packs are individually ejected at
a single pack rejection station, the dwell time of the packs at the station must be
about 200 milliseconds resulting in a reduced maximum production rate of about 400
packs per minute. If both packs of a stack are simultaneously ejected at a single
station as in the prior art GD 4350 machine, a dwell time of only about 160 milliseconds
is required.
[0014] Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example
and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a GD 4350 cigarette packaging
machine illustrating the single pack rejection mechanism installed on the machine;
FIG. 1A is a diagram for the logic used to determine where each pack in the single
pack section of the GD 4350 machine resides when the pack passes to the double pack
or two pack stack section of the machine;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the rotary turret of the GD 4350 machine showing the
ejection mechanism located at the first and second pack rejection stations;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the ejection mechanism for
use in a GD 4350 machine;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partly in cross-section, showing the
mechanism for ejecting the top pack of a two pack stack at the first pack rejection
station, as viewed in the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation view showing the mechanism for ejecting the
bottom pack of a two pack stack at the second pack rejection station as viewed in
the direction of arrow X in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 6A-6C are schematic side elevation views of the second pack rejection station
showing the sequence of operation of the mechanism for rejecting the bottom pack of
the stack;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation view of the second pack rejection station
showing an alternate embodiment for rejecting the bottom pack of the stack or both
packs of the stack;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partly in cross-section, of an alternate
embodiment of the top pack rejection mechanism at the first pack rejection station;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation view showing the embodiment of the top pack
rejection station of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partly in cross-section, showing another
alternate embodiment of the top pack rejection mechanism at the first pack rejection
station; and
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partly in cross-section, showing a further
alternate embodiment of the top pack rejection mechanism at the first pack rejection
station.
[0015] Referring now in detail to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3, the single
pack rejection mechanism is shown incorporated into a cigarette packaging machine
known as a GD 4350 machine, which is designated generally by reference numeral 10.
While the single pack rejection mechanism is illustrated as a modification or retrofit
to an existing GD 4350 machine, it will be appreciated that it may be incorporated
into new designs of cigarette packaging machinery or in other types of packaging machinery
in which two package stacks are conveyed and defective packages in the stacks are
individually rejected. Thus, the present invention is not limited to cigarette packaging
machinery but may be advantageously employed in packaging machinery for other types
of products. Only so much of the GD 4350 machine is illustrated in the drawings as
is necessary for an understanding of the invention. It will also be appreciated that
the systems for inspecting the overwrapped cigarette packages for defects and for
generating signals to identify defective packs are known in the conventional GD 4350
machine.
[0016] Machine 10 comprises a base 12 upon which there is mounted for intermittent rotational
movement or indexing a turret or transfer wheel 14. Transfer wheel 14 comprises a
rotatable plate 16 provided with a plurality of blocks 18 mounted to the upper surface
of the plate 16. Means 15 are provided in the base 12 for incrementally indexing the
transfer wheel 14. Blocks 18 are secured at equiangularly spaced positions on the
plate and are shaped to define a space or slot 20 dimensioned to receive a two pack
stack S of cigarettes (FIG. 2). The stacks of packs in each slot 20 rest on a fixed
arcuate plate 21 arranged about the rotatable plate 16 of the transfer wheel. A cut-out
23 is provided in plate 21 for a purpose to be described. The transfer wheel 14 is
intermittently indexed in 45° angular increments in a counterclockwise direction as
viewed from above with a dwell time at each indexed position of about 160 milliseconds
for a maximum production rate of about 500 ppm.
[0017] Extending radially toward the transfer wheel 14 from the upstream side thereof is
a guideway 22 through which a stream of two pack stacks of overwrapped cigarette packages
are intermittently advanced in synchronism with the indexing of the transfer wheel
14 from the overwrapping section of the GD 4350 machine to the slots 20 of the transfer
wheel. The GD 4350 machine has a single pack section wherein individual packs are
processed, overwrapped, inspected, etc. and a double pack or two pack stack section.
The systems for inspection of packs and quality control rejection of individual defective
packs are located in the single pack section of the machine and generate signals instructing
the machine to reject a particular pack. The pack rejection stations are located in
the double pack section of the machine so that it is necessary to create a logical
stack position for each individual pack in the double pack section, i.e., a top pack
or a bottom pack. Since the two sections of the GD 4350 machine are mechanically linked
in an exact 2:1 ratio, timing pulses having that ratio can be used to determine the
logical position of the packs in the two pack stack according to the logic shown in
the diagram of FIG. 1A.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 1A, once the logic is invoked, it begins at step 200 and then determines
whether the single pack timing signal is true at step 202. The single pack timing
signal may preferably be a square wave pulse which occurs once every 360 degrees and
is generated by the single pack section of the GD 4350 machine. Two such pulses are
generated, one for the top pack and one for the bottom pack. Those signals are passed
from the single pack section of the machine to the double pack stack section. If a
negative determination is made at step 202, then the logic ends at step 204. If an
affirmative determination is made at step 202, then a determination is then made at
step 206 of whether the pack is defective. If a negative determination is made at
step 206, then the logic ends at step 204.
[0019] If an affirmative determination is made at step 206, meaning that a defective pack
has been detected, then a determination is then made at step 208 of whether the double
pack timing signal is true. The double pack section of the GD 4350 machine generates
a square wave timing pulse once every 360 degrees. The width of that timing pulse
is approximately twice that of each timing pulse generated by the single pack section.
In the event that the timing pulse of the double pack section coincides with one of
the timing pulses generated by the single pack section, such coincidence indicates
whether a pack passing from the single pack section to the double pack section will
reside on the top or the bottom of its respective stack.
[0020] If an affirmative determination is made at step 208, then the top pack shift register
for reject is set at step 210. If a negative determination is made at step 208, then
the bottom pack shift register for reject is set at step 212. After steps 210 and
212, the logic ends at step 204.
[0021] Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, the single pack rejection mechanism is designated generally
by reference numeral 24 and comprises a pack guide bar 26 which is rigidly secured
to the plate 21 by suitable fasteners. Pack guide bar 26 retains the stacks S in the
slots 20 as the turret is indexed counterclockwise. The pack guide bar 26 also cooperates
with the transfer wheel 14 to define a first pack rejection station 28 for ejecting
defective top packs of a stack S and a second pack rejection station 30 for ejecting
defective bottom packs of a stack S. Rejection stations 28,30 are arranged 45° apart
in adjacent index positions to coincide with the spacing between adjacent slots 20
on the transfer wheel 14. Mounted to pack guide bar 26 by means of a generally radially
extending air manifold mounting plate 32 is an air manifold assembly 34. Assembly
34 comprises an air manifold 36 to which is connected a pair of air nozzles 38,40
oriented in a radially outward direction toward the stack S at the first pack rejection
station 26. An air connection 42 supplies compressed air at a pressure of about 90
psi (620 kPa) from a line 44 to manifold 36 via a solenoid-operated air valve 46.
[0022] Suspended from the pack guide 26 at the second pack rejection station 30 is a fixed
support plate 48 on which a defective bottom pack rests just prior to ejection at
the second pack rejection station 30. The ejecting mechanism 50 at the second station
30 comprises a first L-shaped pivotable arm 52 (FIG. 1) the operation of which is
described hereinafter in more detail in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6A-6C.
[0023] Packs ejected from the first and second pack rejection stations 28,30 fall onto an
inclined chute 54 where they are delivered to a receptacle (not shown) for recycling
or other disposition.
[0024] Located at the index position 56 of the transfer wheel 14 is a magazine 58 (FIG.
1) which supplies one or two make-up acceptable packs to each slot 20 when either
the top or bottom or both packs of a stack have been ejected. Thus, when the transfer
wheel 14 advances from index position 56 to index position 60, the slot 20 at position
60 always contains a two pack stack S of acceptable packs. From index position 60,
the stacks S are advanced radially outwardly in the direction of the arrow C to a
conventional cartoner apparatus (not shown) associated with the GD 4350 machine.
[0025] Referring again to the single pack rejection mechanism 24 shown in FIG. 3, the pack
guide bar 26 has a cut-out 62 in its upper edge at the location of the first pack
rejection station 28 and a cut-out 64 in its lower edge at the location of the second
pack rejection station 30 through which cut-outs a respective defective top pack and
bottom pack are ejected as more fully described hereinafter. In addition, the leading
edge 66 of the mounting plate 32 is preferably provided with a bevel which has been
found to maintain the advancing packs properly positioned in the slots 20 and prevent
the packs from riding up or "porpoising."
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates the first pack rejection station 28 in more detail and shows how
a defective top pack P
T is ejected at station 28. Air nozzle 40 is inclined upwardly at an angle of about
10°-15° and preferably at an angle of about 12.5° such that the axis of the air blast
from nozzle 40 intersects the top pack P
T above the midpoint of the height or thickness of pack P
T. The air blast from nozzle 40 alone is capable of causing top pack P
T to be ejected over guide bar 26 at cut-out 62 in the manner shown sequentially in
phantom lines in FIG. 4. Air nozzle 38 is horizontally directed and may be used optionally
to help clear the defective top pack P
T from the first pack rejection station 28. The duration of the air blasts from nozzles
38,40 is controlled by the solenoid operated air valve 46 and has a duration in the
range of about 60-150 milliseconds and preferably about 80-90 milliseconds. The bottom
pack P
B is retained in slot 20 by means of the adjacent blocks 18, plate 21 and the guide
bar 26. After ejection of defective top pack P
T, the bottom pack P
B is advanced to the next index position at the second pack rejection station 30.
[0027] Now referring to FIGS. 5 and 6A-6C, operation of the second pack rejection station
30 will be described. When a two pack stack S is advanced to the second station 30,
the stack rests on the upper surface of the horizontal portion 53 of the L-shaped
pivotable arm 52 (FIGS. 5 and 6A). The horizontal portion 53 normally resides in the
slot 23 in the fixed arcuate plate 21 and forms a movable support surface over which
the stacks S travel past the second pack rejection station 30. If the bottom pack
P
B is defective, the ejection mechanism 50 is signalled to operate. Initially, the pivotable
arm 52 swings rearwardly or counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 6B. This causes the
stack S to drop by gravity through slot 23 onto the fixed support plate 48. The arm
52 then swings forwardly or clockwise as shown in FIG. 6C. The forward edge 55 of
the horizontal arm portion 53 strikes the bottom pack P
B and urges it forwardly or to the right as viewed in FIG. 6C through the cut-out 64
in the guide bar 26 where it falls onto chute 54 for collection. When the pivotable
arm 52 returns to its normal position shown in FIG. 6A, the top pack P
T now rests on the horizontal portion 53 and becomes a bottom pack when the transfer
wheel 14 is advanced to index position 56 where magazine 58 supplies a make-up top
pack to the stack at that location. That stack is then advanced to index position
60 where it is conveyed in the direction of the arrow C to the cartoner apparatus
(not shown).
[0028] A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9. In general, in
this embodiment, the first and second pack rejection mechanisms are identical to those
described above in connection with FIGS. 1-5 and 6A-6C. The primary difference is
that a further or third ejection mechanism designated generally by reference numeral
70 replaces the fixed support-plate 48 of the second pack rejection station 30. As
previously mentioned, this embodiment is intended to solve the problem that exists
when a defective top pack fails to be ejected at the first pack rejection station
28 because, e.g., the two packs are stuck together or, for any other reason, a defective
top pack is erroneously advanced to the second pack rejection station 30.
[0029] The ejection mechanism 70 comprises a second pivotable arm mechanism 76 suspended
from guide bar 26 by means of a bracket 78. The pivotable arm mechanism 76 comprises
an operator 80 which may be a pneumatic operator and an L-shaped pivot arm 82 to which
is attached a stack support plate 84. Plate 84 performs the same function as fixed
support plate 48 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 and 6A-6C. Pivotable arm 82 is pivotable
about axis E (FIGS. 8 and 9) so that plate 84 swings clockwise from its horizontal
position shown in FIG. 7 to a substantially vertical position clear of the region
beneath slot 23.
[0030] Operation of the ejection mechanism 70 proceeds as follows. Assume that the top pack
P
T of the stack S shown in FIGS. 7-9 is defective and was not ejected at the first pack
rejection station 28. A sensor 72, such as a conventional capacitive-type sensor,
mounted in an opening 74 (FIG. 3) on air manifold mounting plate 32, detects the presence
of defective top pack P
T and sends a signal to a control unit (not shown) for the third ejection mechanism
70 and a signal to the control unit (not shown) for the second ejection mechanism
50. The control units operate both ejection mechanisms 50 and 70 thereby causing pivotable
arm 52 to pivot counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 9 and pivotable arm 82 to pivot
clockwise as viewed in FIG. 7 clear of the region below the slot 23. The stack S of
packs P
T and P
B at station 30 drops downwardly by gravity through slot 23 onto chute 54 for collection
and the ejection mechanisms 50 and 70 return to their normal, solid line positions
shown in FIGS. 7-9.
[0031] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate another embodiment of a pack ejection mechanism 90 for
ejecting a defective top pack P
T. In this embodiment, the pack guide bar 26' is provided with a cut-out 92 that extends
below the interface I between the top and bottom packs. An air manifold 94 with a
nozzle 96 is mounted to the guide bar 26' by a mounting plate 32'. Nozzle 96 is horizontally
directed at the center of the height of top pack P
T so as to eject top pack P
T horizontally from the stack S.
[0032] A rotary gate 98 is rotatably mounted in the cut-out 92 of guide bar 26'. Gate 98
comprises a shaft 99 and a flat plate 100 which is vertically oriented in its normal
position to retain the top pack P
T on the stack S as shown in solid lines, FIGS. 10 and 11. A rotary actuator 102 is
mounted to the shaft 99 for rotating the shaft 90° to the horizontal position shown
in phantom lines 100' in FIG. 10. In this position, an air blast from nozzle 96 ejects
top pack P
T from the stack S through cut-out 92 and thereafter the rotary gate actuator 102 returns
plate 100 to its normal vertical position.
[0033] FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of a top pack ejection mechanism 110 for use
at the first pack rejection station. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment
of FIGS. 10 and 11 in that the top pack P
T is ejected by a horizontally directed air blast from an air nozzle 112. In lieu of
the rotary gate 98 of the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, a pivotable arm 114 has an
abutment 116 at one end thereof which is normally positioned in cut-out 92 to retain
the top pack PT in the stack S.
[0034] When the ejection mechanism 110 is operated to eject the top pack P
T, an air cylinder 118 retracts to pivot arm 114 counterclockwise about pivot 120 to
the position shown in phantom and a blast of air from air nozzle 112 is initiated
to eject top pack P
T horizontally through cut-out 92 for disposal.
[0035] FIG. 13 shows yet another embodiment of a top pack ejection mechanism 130 which does
not utilize an air blast to eject the top pack. In this embodiment, the top pack P
T is positively ejected by means of a pusher bar 132 which is pivotally suspended by
a pin 134 from a support plate 136. Support plate 136 is mounted to a fluid actuator
138, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator, for reciprocation back and forth horizontally
as shown by the arrow. Support plate 136 has an integral retainer plate 140 which
fits in cut-out 92 to retain the top pack P
T on the stack S. Pusher bar 132 is pivoted from pin 134 to prevent possible interference
between the transfer wheel components and the pusher bar during indexing.
[0036] When the ejection mechanism 130 receives a signal to eject a defective top pack P
T, the actuator 138 is operated to move support plate 136 to the right whereby the
pusher bar 132 urges the top pack P
T also to the right through cut-out 92 for disposal. Advantageously, operation of only
the actuator 138 is required with this embodiment since the retainer plate 140 is
simultaneously movable with the pusher bar 132.
[0037] Although certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described
herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains
that variations and modifications of the described embodiment may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
1. A cigarette packaging machine comprising:
means for identifying a defective pack in a two pack stack having a top pack and
a bottom pack;
first rejection means for rejecting only said defective pack disposed as the top
pack of said two pack stack; and
second rejection means independent of said first rejection means for rejecting
only said defective pack disposed as the bottom pack of said two pack stack.
2. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a transfer wheel;
means for retaining a plurality of said stacks on said transfer wheel;
means for rotatably indexing said transfer wheel about an axis to convey said stacks
along a path of travel, said transfer wheel having a plurality of indexing positions,
said first rejection means being located at a first one of said indexing positions,
and said second rejection means being located at a second one of said indexing positions
located downstream of said first indexing position.
3. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first rejection
means comprises at least one air nozzle having a nozzle axis, said nozzle axis being
directed at the top pack of a two pack stack at said first indexing position, a source
of pressurized air, and means for selectively connecting said pressurized air to said
air nozzle whereby air from said nozzle is operative to eject the top pack from said
two pack stack at the first indexing position.
4. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first rejection
means further comprises first and second air nozzles selectively connected to said
source of pressurized air, said first nozzle being horizontally directed along an
axis disposed above the top pack of said two pack stack, said second nozzle being
disposed beneath the first nozzle with the axis thereof directed at an upwardly inclined
angle toward the top pack of said two pack stack.
5. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upwardly inclined
angle is from about 10° to about 15°.
6. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, including a pack
guide bar mounted to said machine adjacent said transfer wheel, said pack guide bar
having upper and lower surfaces, a first cut-out in said upper surface at the first
indexing position through which the top pack of a two pack stack is ejected, and a
second cut-out in said lower surface at the second indexing position through which
the bottom pack of a two pack stack is ejected.
7. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein said second
rejection means comprises a movable arm located at said second indexing position,
said movable arm having a horizontal portion on which the two pack stacks are supported
as they pass along the path of travel, and a fixed support plate located beneath the
path of travel of the two pack stacks, said movable arm being selectively operative
to move away from a two pack stack at said second indexing position so as to permit
such stack to drop by gravity onto said fixed support plate, and then to move toward
such two pack stack so as to strike the bottom pack of such stack, eject it from such
stack and support the top pack of such stack on the horizontal portion of the movable
arm.
8. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said horizontal portion
has a lengthwise axis, said movable arm comprising an L-shaped pivotable arm having
a pivot axis parallel to the lengthwise axis of the horizontal portion of said arm.
9. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein said second
rejection means comprises first and second movable arms located at said second indexing
position, said first movable arm having a horizontal portion on which the two pack
stacks are supported as they pass along the path of travel, said second movable arm
having a support plate located beneath the path of travel of the two pack stacks,
said first movable arm being selectively operative to move away from a two pack stack
at said second indexing position so as to permit such stack to drop by gravity onto
the support plate of said second movable arm, and then to move toward such two pack
stack so as to strike the bottom pack of such stack, eject it from such stack and
support the top pack of such stack on the horizontal portion of the first movable
arm, said second movable arm being selectively operative to move the support plate
from beneath the path of travel so as to permit both packs of said two pack stack
to drop by gravity from the path of travel when said first movable arm moves away
from a two pack stack at the second indexing position.
10. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein said horizontal portion
of the first movable arm has a lengthwise axis, and said first and second movable
arms comprise first and second pivotable arms, respectively, said first pivotable
arm comprising an L-shaped arm having a first pivot axis parallel to the lengthwise
axis of the horizontal portion of said first pivotable arm, said second pivotable
arm having a second pivot axis substantially at right angles to the first pivot axis.
11. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in any of claims 2 to 10, including means
disposed beneath said first and second indexing positions for collecting the defective
packs ejected by said first and second rejection means.
12. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said air nozzle is horizontally
directed at the top pack of the stack at the first indexing position, and also comprising
a pack guide bar mounted to said machine adjacent said transfer wheel, said pack guide
bar having a cut-out therein at said first indexing position through which the top
pack of a two pack stack is ejected by pressurized air from said air nozzle, means
disposed in said cut-out for retaining the top pack of the stack in the path of travel,
and means for moving said retaining means so as to permit ejection of the top pack
of the stack through said cut-out by pressurized air from the air nozzle.
13. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein said retaining means
comprises a rotary gate disposed in said cut-out and rotatably mounted to said pack
guide bar, and means for rotating said gate.
14. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein said retaining means
comprises a pivotable arm having an abutment at one end thereof, said abutment having
a retaining position in said cut-out, and means for pivoting said arm so as to move
said abutment away from its retaining position in said cut-out.
15. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first rejection
means comprises a pusher bar mounted at said first indexing position and means connected
to said pusher bar for horizontally moving said pusher bar into engagement with the
top pack of a two pack stack at said first indexing position to eject such top pack.
16. The cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 15, including a support plate
mounted to said pusher bar moving means, said pusher bar being pivotally mounted to
said support plate about an axis parallel to the axis of movement of said pusher bar.
17. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in claim 16, including a pack guide bar mounted
to said machine adjacent said transfer wheel, said pack guide bar having a cut-out
therein at said first indexing position through which the top pack of a two pack stack
is ejected by said pusher bar, said support plate including a retainer plate depending
therefrom and disposed in said cut-out for retaining said top pack in the path of
travel until said support plate and pusher bar are moved to eject the top pack of
a stack.
18. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17, wherein said pusher
bar moving means comprises a fluid actuator.
19. A cigarette packaging machine as claimed in any preceding claim, including magazine
means disposed at a third one of said indexing positions located downstream of said
second indexing position for supplying make-up packs to a stack in which one or both
of the packs of a stack have been ejected.
20. A defective cigarette pack rejection apparatus for a cigarette packaging machine having
means for identifying a defective pack of a two pack stack comprising a top pack and
a bottom pack, said pack rejection apparatus comprising first rejection means for
ejecting only a defective top pack of the two pack stack, and second rejection means
independent of said first rejection means for rejecting (1) only a defective bottom
pack of the two pack stack or (2) both packs of the two pack stack.
21. A cigarette pack rejection apparatus as claimed in claim 20, including a pack guide
bar having upper and lower surfaces mounted adjacent a transfer wheel of said machine,
where said transfer wheel includes means for retaining a plurality of said two pack
stacks and said machine has means for rotatably indexing said transfer wheel about
an axis to a plurality of indexing positions, said first rejection means being located
at a first indexing position and said second rejection means being located at a second
indexing position, said guide bar having a first cut-out in the upper surface thereof
at the first indexing position and a second cut-out in the lower surface of the guide
bar at the second indexing position, said first rejection means comprising at least
one air nozzle connected to a source of pressurized air for ejecting a defective top
pack from the stack through said first cut-out, said second rejection means comprising
first and second pivotable arms disposed at said second indexing position with the
second pivotable arm having a support plate disposed beneath the first pivotable arm,
said first pivotable arm having a horizontal portion on which said two pack stacks
are supported and guided, said first pivotable arm being selectively operative to
pivot the horizontal portion away from the two pack stack supported thereon and permit
such stack to drop by gravity onto the support plate of the second pivotable arm and
then to pivot toward such two pack stack so as to strike the bottom pack of such stack
and eject it through said second cut-out, and said second pivotable arm being selectively
operative to pivot the support plate thereof from beneath the two pack stack when
said first pivotable arm is pivoted away from such two pack stack to thereby eject
both packs of such two pack stack.
22. A method of rejecting a defective pack from a cigarette packaging machine in which
the packs are stacked into a plurality of two pack stacks each with a top pack and
a bottom pack, comprising the steps of:
identifying defective top and bottom packs of said two pack stacks;
conveying said two pack stacks past a first rejection station and a second rejection
station downstream of said first rejection station;
rejecting only defective top packs of said two pack stacks at said first rejection
station;
rejecting defective bottom packs of said two pack stacks at said second rejection
station; and
supplying make-up packs to said stacks downstream of said second rejection station
to replace the top and bottom packs rejected at said first and second rejection stations.
23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said defective top pack rejecting step comprises
the steps of indexing a two pack stack with a defective top pack to said first rejection
station, and ejecting said defective pack with at least one blast of pressurized air.
24. A method as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein said second rejection station comprises
a first movable arm with a horizontal portion and a support surface mounted beneath
said horizontal portion, said defective bottom pack rejecting step comprising the
steps of indexing a stack with a defective bottom pack to said second rejection station,
supporting said stack on the horizontal portion of the first movable arm, then moving
the horizontal portion of said first movable arm away from the stack to permit said
defective bottom pack to drop by gravity onto the support surface, and then moving
the horizontal portion of the first movable arm toward the defective bottom pack to
strike such defective bottom pack and eject it from the support surface of the second
rejection station.
25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said first movable arm is pivotably movable,
said moving steps comprise pivoting said first movable arm.
26. A method as claimed in claim 24 or 25, including the step of moving the support surface
from beneath the horizontal portion of the first movable arm so as to permit the top
and bottom packs of the two pack stack at the second rejection station to drop by
gravity from the second rejection station.
27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of moving the support surface comprises
pivoting said support surface.